ABOUT THE SERIES:
Christ was born into a weary world. King Herod ruled the land with a legacy of ruthlessness. The Romans treated the people of Israel with contempt, imposing harsh taxes and land seizures that forced many into subsistence farming. Poverty and destitution were pervasive. And yet, Christ was born, bringing good news of great joy for all people.
As Advent comes again to a weary world, we ask, “How does a weary world rejoice?” From the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel, we have found a few answers: we acknowledge our weariness, we find joy in connection, we allow ourselves to be amazed, we sing stories of hope, we make room, we root ourselves in ritual, and most importantly, we trust our belovedness. In the parallel birth stories of Jesus and John, joy arrives—despite trepidation, fear, or grief. In these stories, we find rhythms for rejoicing. As we move through our series, we hope to create space for acknowledging the weariness of our world while celebrating God’s closeness with great joy.
And so, this Advent, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy. We will seek a “thrill of hope” in our hurting world. We will welcome joy—even if, like the prophet Isaiah, we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1). In this weary world, may we find many ways to rejoice.
ABOUT THE BUNDLE:
This is a bundle of 12 multimedia ministry resources (plus free supplements) for the first week of Advent through Baptism of the Lord Sunday (7 weeks). It sequentially follows the stories in Luke 1-3, but also includes a few Hebrew texts from the RCL (Year B). Download our free infographic to preview the series and scriptures included. We bundle our resources because they often overlap in use, and because we want to equip you with comprehensive materials for a whole season. Each resource is also available separately. Scroll down this page & click the “Resource Details” buttons to learn more about each individual resource.
Note: All resources are digital files. Please purchase the tiered bundle price that best fits your community’s size and budget. For additional purchasing options, read this page. Release date: 2023.
How to purchase the bundle:
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE BUNDLE:
(All of the following are included in the bundle, but each resource is also available separately for individual purchase)
1. ADVENT DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET
(Individual Price: $18-$85)
This devotional is designed to help you practice joy in a weary world. Each week offers art, reflections, poetry, and hymns. Beginning with the start of Advent and concluding with Baptism of the Lord Sunday, journey through these pages at your own pace. The devotional features biblical commentary by our guest writer, Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong, and art and reflections by our guest artist, Rev. Nicolette Peñaranda. It can be printed or shared digitally with your community.
2. WORDS FOR WORSHIP
(Individual Price: $25)
A collection of over 50 liturgies, this resource provides fresh language for worship inspired by the weekly texts and themes in our series. For each Sunday in our series (including Christmas Eve), we provide: a Call to Worship, Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession, Words of Forgiveness, Prayer for Illumination, Affirmation of Faith, and Prayer of the People. We’ve also included candle lighting liturgy and Communion liturgy for Christmas Eve, as well as a benediction for the entire series.
3. Children’s Curriculum + Pageant
(Individual Price: $25)
This interactive skit-based children’s curriculum contains 6 weeks of lessons that sequentially follow the story of Jesus and John’s births found in Luke 1–3. The lessons include rejoicing together in song, telling the story through skits or puppet shows, and enjoying crafts, books, and games. The scripture skits in the weekly curriculum could also be performed as an Advent or Christmas pageant. A full pageant script—including staging options, costume suggestions, and an original musical interlude—is included with the curriculum, along with a full cast of characters to use as stick puppets.
4. sermon planning guide
(Individual Price: $15)
Our sermon guide is designed for preachers, worship planners, and adult education leaders. For each Sunday in our series, this guide offers:
Biblical commentary (written by our guest contributor, Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong)
Theme connections
Considerations for the week
Guiding questions
Inspiration for further reading & research
5. ADVENT CALENDARs FOR CHILDREN & Adults
(Individual Price: $5-$55)
This Advent, practice daily acts of joy by using our Advent calendars—made for both children and adults. Our children’s Advent calendar is designed for coloring and can be printed on 11x17 paper. Each day, children can color in a shape within our Advent icon, then complete a daily action prompt together with their family. Our adult (and teen-friendly) calendar includes daily prompts for practicing joy in a weary world. It can be printed and put on display, or you can share the daily prompts as social media graphics online as an invitation to your whole community.
6. liturgy for the weary
(Individual Price: $12)
This liturgy, in the tradition of “Blue Christmas” or “Longest Night” services, provides space for prayer, reflection, and remembrance amidst the joy of the holiday season. Liturgies for both communal and at-home worship are included. We hope that these words and this order of worship can be a gift to individuals and communities alike, providing a space of calm, quiet, and healing.
7. VISUAL ART COLLECTION
(Individual Price: $60)
This is a collection of 11 visuals inspired by the focal texts in our series. These art pieces, created in a variety of mediums—acrylic painting, collage, oil painting, and digital media—are visual meditations on these scriptures. With each visual, we include written statements from the artists. We also provide a visio divina bible study guide for you to use these images in a group session incorporating the ancient Benedictine spiritual practice of "divine seeing." This collection includes artwork created by our guest artist, Rev. Nicolette (Faison) Peñaranda.
8. BANNER DESIGNS
(Individual Price: $20)
This Advent, project & trace these designs to create painted or paper lace banners for your sanctuary or sacred space. We hope these designs (and our instructional materials) can simply be a starting point for you to create art and beauty that is uniquely your own. This year you can choose between a detailed design as well as a simplified design (for groups with less experience and time). The download also includes a large file for printing the design as a vinyl banner.
9. Children’s worship Bulletins
(Individual Price: $12)
These weekly worship bulletins invite children (elementary age) to engage in worship through coloring, storytelling, reading, and drawing. Each week’s bulletin includes a main idea, colorable images of the characters and events in each week’s gospel text, as well as prompts and prayers.
10. ADVENT POEMS
(Individual Price: $12)
This collection of nine poetic prayers explores the How does a weary world rejoice? theme and weekly sub-themes and scriptures for our series. Honest and intimate, these poems offer meditations that might become prayers of your own.
We could put our defenses down.
We could grow soft.
We could choose awe.
We could take her by the arm.
We could let her lead us all the way to joy.
—“All the Way to Joy” by Rev. Sarah A. Speed
11. BRANDING BUNDLE
(Individual Price: $45)
We’ve put together a full branding package with logo files, graphics, design elements, background images, and a branding story PDF to inform you on the best practices for how to utilize these files and effectively share the How does a weary world rejoice? theme with your community through digital and print communications.
12. BONUS RESOURCE: “Sing it true” THEME SONG (by the fapc chapel church band)
(Individual Price: $25)
This music video features an original theme song written and produced by Can Olgun, Sarah Speed, and the FAPC Chapel Church band.
We hope this music video helps fill your heart and soul with joy, even in a weary world. For all it takes is just one voice to be a force for good.
You are welcome to show this video in worship or other ministry events. You are granted permission to embed this music video in your live-streamed or online worship. We’ve also included a lead sheet and piano accompaniment for the song, as well as the .mp3 recording (with an outro).
(Note: The theme song and video is a bonus for all patrons of the full bundle. If you previously ordered the bundle, navigate to the Patron Access Page to download it.)
FREE SUPPLEMENTal materials
To help you implement all of the materials in the bundle, we’re progressively releasing the following materials:
BONUS ADD-ONS:
ORIGINAL HYMNS
This is a collection of seven original hymns, plus two doxologies, inspired by our weekly sub-themes, written by Rev. Anna Strickland. Each hymn offers new words to sing with familiar tunes. Download the sheet music to include these hymns in your worship. Note: These hymns are also included in our Advent devotional booklet for individuals and families to sing at home.
A CONTENT CALENDAR FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
To support you in sharing this Advent series with your community online, we’ve mapped out a content calendar with 49 social media posts for you to share with your online community throughout the season. We’ve carefully selected images, graphics, and excerpts that feature the art, poems, commentary, and themes in the series. The calendar is a free gift only to patrons who purchase the full Advent bundle.
ON OUR BLOG:
MUSIC IDEAS FOR worship
In this blog post, we’ve curated a long list of music ideas—both traditional and contemporary—for worship, fellowship, and listening. Use this for your worship planning.
PRAYERS for Epiphany
In order to stay in Luke’s narrative, we have omitted the story of the Magi and traditional celebrations of Epiphany from this series. Instead, we conclude the series with Baptism of the Lord Sunday. However, if you prefer to celebrate Epiphany Sunday, this blog includes prayers you can adapt for worship.
Star words liturgy
This liturgy helps you integrate the practice of passing out star words into your worship on Baptism of the Lord Sunday. It includes references to the Magi as well as Jesus’ baptism. The blog post also includes a star words list for making your own star words.
banners for adornment
Printed-to-order banners to adorn your sacred space! (Not included in the bundle)
Meet our guest contributors
The talented writer, artist, and musicians we’ve partnered with to bring these resources to life!
GUEST WRITER
Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong
Commentary writer
The Rev. Cecelia D. Armstrong (she/her) is an energetic national leader within the Presbyterian Church (USA) who preaches often for conferences and groups. She is called “CeCe” by friends and family members. She has never met a stranger and continues to collect friends and family members throughout her Christian journey through life and real-world experiences. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, she was baptized at Calvary Presbyterian Church (USA) and remained a very active member there until her decision to make Georgia her home.
Pastor CeCe is a graduate of the Interdenominational Theological Center, where she attended Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary and earned her Masters of Divinity. After seminary, she served Grady Memorial Hospital as a chaplain and Beth Salem Presbyterian Church (USA) as supply pastor. As an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rev. Armstrong served her first call as Solo Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (USA) in Lantana, Florida. Now, Pastor CeCe is the very proud Associate Pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church (USA) on James Island in Charleston, SC. stjamesji.org/pastors-staff
GUEST ARTIST
Rev. Nicolette (Faison) Peñaranda
Guest artist
Rev. Nicolette “Nic” (she/her) is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving as the Program Director for African Descent Ministries. Nic is the creator of MONadvocacy, a racial justice resource grounded in play, as well as the “Talks at the Desk” series which celebrates the voices of leaders in the ELCA African descent community: livinglutheran.org/2022/02/a-love-letter-to-african-descent-communities.
She is passionate about queer Black liberation, cultivating diverse leadership in faith spaces, and the art of creation. She is also the illustrator of God's Holy Darkness, written by Sharei Green and Beckah Selnick (Beaming Books, 2022). The book deconstructs anti-Blackness in Christian theology by celebrating instances in the story of God's people when darkness, blackness, and night are beautiful, good, and holy. She resides in the Chicagoland area with her spouse, two daughters, and two cats, Penne Pablo and Rigatoni Braxton.
GUEST MUSICIANS
the Chapel Church Band at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church
Guest musicians
This Advent, our theme song will be crafted by a collective of talented creatives. The lyrics will be written by Rev. Sarah Speed (one of our Founding Creative Partners and our lead liturgy writer). Sarah is collaborating with the Chapel Church Band at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church (New York), where she serves as Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Membership. Music director, Can Olgun, is the leader of the band, which features a rotating slate of professional vocalists singing to the rhythms of guitar, piano, and drums. Their repertoire covers a broad range of traditional and contemporary music, with a growing list of original compositions. fapc.org/chapel-church
Can Olgun
Guest musician
Can Olgun (he/him) is an internationally performing pianist, composer, educator, and researcher. Originally from Berlin, Germany, Olgun moved to New York in 2008 to pursue a Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music after being awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). He has appeared at landmark venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, A-Trane Berlin, Jazz Club Unterfahrt Munich, Winter Jazz Fest, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. While maintaining a busy schedule as a sideman, he also tours frequently throughout Europe and the U.S. He is a Ph.D. candidate at the Victoria University of Wellington/New Zealand School of Music, where he conducts research at the intersections of contemporary gospel keyboard playing, artistic research, and jazz piano improvisation. His research findings will entail a portfolio of creative work expected to be released in 2023 and 2024. canolgun.com